Game system

ABSTRACT

[ProblemsTo provide a game system in which each of the players in turn controls a common character (operation object) so as to enjoy a continuous electric game; and to provide a game system in which a previous player who has been replaced by another player still has willing to participate in the game. There is provided a game system to which a plurality of players can access via respective operation terminals. According to input data from the operation terminals, a calculation processing device executes a game program, judges that a plurality of players are participating in the game, establishes teams, each consisting of a plurality of players, assigns a common character to each team, decides a reference point when the operation of the character is to be performed by another player belonging to the same team according to the program, judges whether the character has reached the reference point according to the parameter of the character, and, if the judgment is yes, offers the operation right of the character to another player, and controls the game system to continue the operation of the character addording to the signal from the operation terminal of the another player.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a game system, and in particularrelates to a game system which is capable of performing informationprocessing operation related to a competition game of the relay method.

In recent years, due to the development of communication technique, ithas become possible for each one of several players at far separatedlocations to connect game devices to the internet, and mutually toexperience the same game at the sametime.

Since such a game device includes a micro computer, and is made so as tobe able to perform virtual three dimensional image processing,accordingly it is possible to perform various games in which a pluralityof players are present within a virtual play space with commoncoordinates.

A race game is one of these types of game. In such a race game, severalusers determine on automobile characters which each of them willoperate, and, from the speeds and running positions and so on of thesevarious automobile characters, a server determines on parameters forthese various automobile characters to compete. The various game devicesbased on these parameters, the game devices display competition imageson their display devices. The scores of the various automobilecharacters are calculated and compared by the server, and thereby itdetermines on the competitive rankings of the automobile characters.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

With a prior art game system, no consideration has been given to theaspect of performing continuous electronic play in which a plurality ofplayers are controlling a common character (an object of operation)while taking turns. Furthermore, if after a change over has beenperformed the previous player goes away from the game, then his desireto continue by again participating in the game which is being continuedby another player undesirably declines. Due to this type of reason, noelectronic play method of the previously described type has ever beenimplemented

The present invention takes as its object to provide a novel electronicplaying system which solves this type of problem.

In order to achieve this object, the first invention is a game systemwhich can be accessed by a plurality of players via operation terminals,comprising a memory and a calculation processing device, wherein a gameprogram is stored in the memory, and the calculation processing deviceexecutes the game program based on input data from the operationterminals, and wherein the game system is made to implement: means fordeciding that a plurality of players have participated for game playing;means for establishing team composition for the plurality of players;means for assigning a common character to each team; means fordetermining a reference point at which operation of the character ischanged over between players who belong to the same team, based on thegame program; means for deciding whether or not the character hasarrived at this reference point, from parameters of the character; andmeans for transferring a right of operating the character to anotherplayer when the decision is affirmative, and performing control so as tocontinue operation of the character, based on a signal from theoperation terminal by the other player.

According to this first invention, since, by the character arriving atthe reference point, the right of operating the character is transferredto the side of the next player within the team, accordingly it becomespossible to provide a game system, with which it is possible to continueoperating the same character continuously, even though the playerschange over.

In one embodiment of the game system of the first invention, there is arace game in which players compete for better ranking points forcharacters which correspond to vehicles. A plurality of game devices aremutually connected together via the internet. A server for controllingthe synchronization of a plurality of game devices which are connectedto a communication circuit may be connected to a separate communicationcircuit from the game machine, or one of the game devices may also havethe function of acting as a server.

As for the method for team composition, the players who have establishedaccess may be divided up randomly, or may be divided up in order ofaccess. As the reference point at which the players who belong to thesame team change over, there are several examples. In one, it is aground point which is present within a three dimensional virtual spacewhich is defined by the game program. In a second, it is a time point ona time axis. The operation input from the second player is not used bythe calculation processing device before the character arrives at thisreference point; rather, the calculation processing device processes thecharacter by operation input from the first player. After arrival at thereference point, the calculation processing device makes the input ofthe second player effective.

Means for transmitting information between the side of the first playerand the side of the second player is provided. For example, voice chat(conversation) may be implemented between the first operation terminaland the second operation terminal. Or, alternatively, the sameinformation as the image or the voice which is displayed on the playerterminal, which has the right of operating the character, may bereproduced on the operation terminals of the other players within theteam.

The first invention is one which is characterized by being a game devicewhich is applied to the game system, by being a program for causing thealready described calculation processing device to execute the alreadydescribed means, and by being a storage medium on which this program isstored.

Furthermore, the present invention is an information processing methodin a game system which can be accessed by a plurality of players viaoperation terminals, with this game system comprising a memory and acalculation processing device, and with a game program being stored inthis memory, with the calculation processing device executing the gameprogram based on input data from the operation terminals, characterizedin that this information processing method in the game system is made soas to implement: a process of deciding that a plurality of players haveparticipated in game playing; a process of establishing team compositionfor the plurality of players; a process of assigning a common characterto each team; a process of determining a reference point at which changeover operation of the character between players who belong to the sameteam is performed, based on the game program; a process of decidingwhether or not the character has arrived at this reference point, fromparameters of the character; and a process of transferring the right ofoperating the character to another player when this decision isaffirmative, and performing control so as to continue operation of thecharacter, based on a signal from the operation terminal by the otherplayer.

A second invention is a game program for causing a computer device toinput operation signals via operation means which are operated by aplurality of players, so as to execute a relay race game within a gamespace by player characters which are operated based on the operationsignals, characterized by including: a game setting process of, based onoperation signals from the players, reading out from a recording mediumdata for player characters based on selection by the players, andacquiring information about division of the players into teams for therelay race game, and about the order of play within each team; a gameexecution process of executing a start of the relay race game betweenthe teams based on the team division information and the order-of-playinformation, and, based on the order-of-play information, performing aprocess of taking a player character of each team set as a currentrunner among the player characters, as a current runner character, to bemoved within the game space; a display process of displaying thesituation of movement as a game screen on game screen display means ofthe players; a decision process of acquiring position coordinates of thecurrent runner character within the game space, taking a predeterminedoperation change over position as a reference point, and decidingwhether or not the character is positioned within a predetermineddistance range from the reference point; a notification process of, whendecided that the current runner character is positioned within thepredetermined distance range from the operation change over position,providing a display which announces a change over of operation of thecurrent runner character on the game screen of the player who operatesthe next runner character which is set as the next runner among theplayer characters based on the-order-of play information; and anoperation change over process of, when the current runner characterarrives at the operation change over position, along with displaying thenext runner character at the position of the current runner character,also inhibiting operation signals from the operator of the currentrunner character, and making effective an operation signal from theoperator of the next runner character.

Thus, according to the second invention, in a game setting process ofthe game program, based on operation signals from the players, data forplayer characters is read out from a recording medium based on selectionby the players, and information is acquired about division of theplayers into teams for the relay race game, and about the order of playwithin each team; and, in a game execution process, a start of the relayrace game between the teams is executed based on the team divisioninformation and the order of play information.

At this time, in a display process, based on the order of playinformation, a process is performed of moving the player character ofeach team which is set as the current runner among the player characterswithin the game space as the current runner character, and displayingthis situation as game screens on game screen display means of theplayers; and, from this display state, position coordinates of thecurrent runner character within the game space are acquired, taking apredetermined operation change over position as a reference point, and adecision is taken (in a decision process) as to whether or not thecharacter is positioned within a predetermined distance range from thereference point.

In the above described decision process, if it has been decided that thecurrent runner character is positioned within the predetermined distancerange from the operation change over position, a display is provided (ina notification process) which notifies a change over of operation of thecurrent runner character on the game screen of the player to operate thenext runner character which is set as the next runner among the playercharacters based on the order of play information.

And, in an operation change over process, when the current runnercharacter arrives at the operation change over position, along withdisplaying the next runner character at the position of the currentrunner character, also operation signals from the operator of thecurrent runner character are inhibited, and actuation signals from theoperator of the next runner character are made effective.

Since the change over timing for a character whose operation is sharedbetween a plurality of players is decided on in this manner, and anotification of the change over of operation is provided on the gamescreens of the players, accordingly the operation start time foroperating the next runner character is clear, so that mistaken operationdoes not occur. On the other hand, by inhibiting the operation signalsfrom the operator of the present runner character, the so caller relayzone becomes clear, and it is possible to prevent dishonest changingover.

With this second invention, it may be further characterized byincluding: a change over timing calculation process of, in thenotification process, calculating timing at which operation change overis performed, based on the distance between the current runner characterand the reference point; and a change over timing display process ofproviding a display which shows the timing of operation change over onthe game screen of the operator of the next runner character, based onthe change over timing information calculated by the change over timingcalculation process.

It is possible to calculate the timing for performing the operationchange over in advance according to the distance from the referencepoint, and, by displaying this change over timing, it is possible tomake clear the ranges over which the player who is operating the presentrunner character and the player who will operate the next runnercharacter can respectively perform operation.

Furthermore, with this second invention, it may be further characterizedby including: a process of, in the notification process, displaying thenext runner character translucently overlapped on the current runnercharacter which is being displayed on the game screen of the operator ofthe next runner character; and a process of, based on the change overtiming information which has been calculated by the change over timingcalculation process, changing the transparency of the display of thecurrent runner character and of the next runner character as the timefor change over approaches, and, at the time point when the time forchange over has arrived, displaying the next runner character normallyalong with deleting the display of the current runner character.

When changing over between the present runner character and the nextrunner character, it may happen that one of them disappears suddenly,and, when the other appears, the timing of the change over is missed.

Thus, the next runner character is displayed translucently overlapped onthe current runner character which is being displayed on the game screenof the operator of the next runner character, and furthermore, based onthe change over timing information which has been calculated by thechange over timing calculation process, the transparency of the displayof the current runner character and of the next runner character arechanged as the change over time approaches, so that, at the time pointthat the change over time is reached, along with the display of thecurrent runner character being deleted, the next runner character isdisplayed in a normal manner, so that it is possible to make the changeover timing clear.

Furthermore, with this second invention, it may be further characterizedby including: a process of, in the announcement process, deforming thecurrent runner character which is being displayed on the game screen ofthe operator of the next runner character into the next runnercharacter; and a process of, based on the change over timing informationwhich has been calculated by the change over timing calculation process,performing display so as to deform the current runner character into thenext runner character as the time for change over approaches.

When changing over between the present runner character and the nextrunner character, it may happen that one of them disappears suddenly,and, when the other appears, the timing of the change over is missed.Thus, the current runner character which is being displayed on the gamescreen of the operator of the next runner character is deformed into thenext runner character, and furthermore by performing display, based onthe change over timing information which has been calculated by thechange over timing calculation process, so that the current runnercharacter is deformed into the next runner character as the change overtime approaches, it is accordingly possible to make the change overtiming clear.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a gamesystem in which a plurality of players perform continuous electronicplay by controlling a common character (an operated object) while takingturns. Furthermore it is possible to provide a game system with which,even after a change over has been performed, the desire of the previousplayer to continue taking part in the game increases.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a network diagram of a game system according to the firstembodiment;

-   -   FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a game device according to the        first embodiment;    -   FIG. 3 is a operation chart of the game device according to the        first embodiment;    -   FIG. 4 is a figure showing a game screen outputted by the first        embodiment;    -   FIG. 5 is a functional block diagram for movement control of a        runner character by a CPU which is fitted to a game device        according to the second embodiment;    -   FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing a character movement control        routine according to the second embodiment; and    -   FIG. 7 shows a correlation related image which, according to the        second embodiment, is displayed when changing over, and is a        front view of a display monitor.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The first embodiment

FIG. 1 shows a situation in which a plurality of game device 10-1through 10-n (hereinafter referred to as game devices 10, as a genericterm) are connected to a communication circuit 10 which consists of theinternet. The game device 10-1 also functions as a master game machine(a server), and controls the other clients (10-2 through 10-n)synchronously. And FIG. 2 shows the system structure of each of the gamedevices 10.

As shown in FIG. 2, the game device 10 comprises: a program and datastorage device or storage medium (also including an optical disk and anoptical disk drive or the like) 101 on which a game program and data(including both image and voice data) are stored; a CPU 102 whichexecutes the game program, and performs control of the overall systemand coordinate calculation for displaying images and the like; a systemmemory 103 in which programs and data which are necessary for the CPU102 to perform its procedures are stored; a BOOT ROM 104 on whichprograms and data which are necessary when starting the game device 10are stored; and a bus arbiter 105 which controls the flow of programsand data between the various blocks of the game device 10, or to deviceswhich are conarious blocks of the game device 10, or to devices whichare connected externally; and these are connected together by a bus.

A rendering processor 106 is connected to the bus, and reflection(movie) data which has been read out from the program and data storagedevice or storage medium 101, and images which may be created accordingto operation by the player and the progression of the game, aredisplayed by this rendering processor 106 on a display monitor 110.Graphic data and the like required for the rendering processor 106 toperform image generation are stored in a graphic memory 107.

A sound processor 106 is connected to the bus, and music data which hasbeen read out from the program and data storage device or storage medium101, and sound effects or voices which may be created according tooperation by the player and the progression of the game, are outputtedfrom a speaker 111 by this sound processor 108. Sound data and the likerequired for the sound processor 108 to perform sound effect and voicegeneration are stored in a sound memory 109. A modem/router C1 isconnected to the game device 10, and performs communication with othergame devices and a network server via an internet circuit. The referencesymbol 300 is an operation terminal, and a dedicated controller, akeyboard, and a voice input device for voice chat are included in thisoperation terminal.

In the game system shown in FIG. 1, team composition processing, racegame execution processing , player change over processing, and variousfunctions for information exchange between players who have been changedover are implemented. FIG. 3 is a chart showing the information exchangeoperation between the master device and a game device (clients): themaster device receives entries from the various game devices, terminatesthe reception of entries and determines the players who will participatein game play at the time point at which the number of people reaches thenumber necessary for team composition, and then executes teamcomposition processing for the players.

The CPU of the master device determines on the ID of the game device forwhich an entry has taken place and on the date and time of the entry,and stores it in a predetermined storage region of the system memory.For example, if it is supposed that four game devices have been entered,the game device (1P) which accessed the master first and the game device(2P) which accessed the master second may be made into team A, while 3Pand 4P may be made into team B.

The CPU, along with setting flags for 1P and 2P in the memory regionwhich show that they are on the same team, also sets a flag for 1P whichshows that it is the first driver and a flag for 2P which shows that itis the second driver. The same is the case for 3P and 4P.

The master device 10-1 transmits the data related to team composition toeach of the game devices. Each of the game devices displays on itsmonitor a screen related to team composition based on this data. This isperformed by displaying the IDs of the game devices classified by team.

Next, standby signals are sent from each of the game devices to themaster device to the effect that it is possible to start the game. TheCPU of the game master outputs a game start command (a start display) to1P and 3P which relate to the first runners. The CPUs of 1P and 3Preceive operating input from their operation terminals, set parametersfor creating images of race cars (characters) in the running state, andtransmit them to the game master. The master device first setsparameters for creating images on the game devices from the parametersof all the running vehicles, and transmits them to the game devices.

The rendering processors of the game devices create and display imagesbased on these parameters and the game program. This image creation isperformed based on a point of view which has been defined in threedimensional coordinate space.

FIG. 4 is a game screen which is displayed on the display monitor of 1Por 3P. The automobile at the center of the screen is a common characterwhich is actuated by 1P and 2P (or 3P and 4P). The parameters related tothe rate and the position of the character which have been created bythe CPU of 1P (3P) are send via the game master to the side of thesecond driver 2P (4P). The CPU of 2P (4P) creates a game reflectionbased on these parameters. Accordingly, during the data processingperiod of 1P, the same image as that of 1P is displayed on the displaymonitor of 2P, which is in the waiting state. The same is true between3P and 4P.

In regions 1P through 4P which are in the memory of the game master,there are provided flags related to the right of operation. During theprocessing period of 1P (before changing over), data is set in theoperation flag which identifies that operation by 1P is effective. Atthis time, data is set in the flag related to 2P which shows thatoperation by 2P is inhibited. When a changeover of the right ofoperation from 1P to 2P is determined on by the CPU, these flags arereset, and the operation data of 2P is made effective. The same is truefor 3P and 4P.

To continue the explanation further based on FIG. 3, the change over ofthe right of operation from 1P to 2P, or from 3P to 4P, is supposed tobe performed when the character has made a specified number or more ofcircuits around a course in the three dimensional virtual space which isdefined by the game program. In other words, when a certain ground pointover the course has passed through the predetermined number of circuits,a change over of the right of operation for the character is performed.

When this change over is performed, the respective game devices forbefore and after the change over is notified by i.e. a display such as“Ready”. After this change over has been performed, displays to theeffect that the change over has been completed are made on therespective game devices for before and after the change over. Theresetting of the flags related to the right of operation is performed atthe time point that the character has passed the reference point. Sincethe two game devices which are being changed over are being actuated bytheir respective players before and after the character passes thereference point, it is not normal for blanks to occur on the input fromtheir operation terminals.

The CPU of the game master permits voice chat between those gamedevices, for which a common flag is set which shows that they are on thesame team. This voice chat is a function by which simultaneousconversation is possible between the game terminals which belong to thesame team, via voice input and output devices. For example if, duringoperation of the character by 2P, voice input from 1P has been performedto the game master, then the CPU checks the flags in its memory, andoutputs the voice signal to 2P, for which the same team flag is set.Accordingly, participation in the race game is possible even for aplayer, belonging to the same team, for whom the right of operating thecharacter has been transferred. This may be easily understood if, forexample, one considers that 1P is a navigator who is sitting beside 2P,who is the driver.

Apart from voice communication, character information is also availablefor information exchange between the players. A player who does not havethe right of operation may input characters or symbols using his owngame device. This game device may transmit the inputted information, viathe game master, to the game device on the side of the player to whomthe right of operation has been transferred. The characters or symbolsare displayed on the monitor of the game device which has inputted thissignal. For example, it becomes possible to transmit the direction ofthe next corner, whether it is a right curve or a left curve, or thedegree of curvature of the curve to the player who is actuating thecharacter by characters or symbols (arrow signs). For example, oneexample of cooperative play within a team is when, in a “navigator game”mode, one side becomes the driver and one side becomes the navigator,and a screen is displayed on the screen on the side of the driver whichcannot be properly seen because fog has come down, while on the side ofthe navigator, instead of him being able to perform driving operation,the course is seen normally, so that he can issue commands for curvingor braking or the like. It is also possible to provide a game scene suchas one in which, each time the race character performs one circuit, theplayer on the side of the driver and the player on the side of thenavigator change over.

The CPU of the game master decides whether or not a character hasreached the goal, and calculates the points obtained by the team owing acharacter who has done so. The number of points obtained is added up andrankings are determined for all of the teams, and this total screen istransmitted to each of the game devices, and then the sequence ofprocedures terminates.

The Second Embodiment

In the following, a second embodiment of the present invention (a secondinvention) will be explained. It should be understood that, in thissecond embodiment, to structural portions which are the same as in thefirst embodiment, the same reference symbols are appended, and theexplanation of their structure will be curtailed.

It should be understood that, in this second embodiment, there is showna competitive game in which runner characters are applied as the objectswhich are operated, and these runner characters are ones whichcorrespond to the vehicles in the vehicle running game of the firstembodiment.

Mainly, the particular characteristic of this second embodiment is thata clear notification is issued when changing over operation between theplayers on the same team.

In other words, in the first embodiment, when changing over theoperation, “Ready” was announced to the game devices for before andafter the change over, and, before and after the reference point, whichis a ground point for changing over, the two game devices which arechanging over can each be actuated by its respective player.

According to this, the players recognize when changing over isoccurring, and a smooth change over is possible, but sometimes it mayhappen that, due to change of the speed of the character which is beingdisplayed or the like, the time of the change over does not becomeclear.

Thus, in this second embodiment, it is determined whether or not thepresent runner character is within a predetermined range from thereference point, and it is arranged to provide clear information aboutthe time of change over to the players by notifying, based on the resultof this decision, when he arrives at the reference point.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram, functionally showing the main points of thecontrol by the CPU 102 of the game device 10, which mainly includes thischange over time notification.

A play execution control unit 200 is a device which manages overallimage processing based on this game program, and an operation terminal300 is connected to it via a bus arbiter 105. Based on operation of thisoperation terminal 300, play is caused to progress by the play executioncontrol unit 200. Furthermore, the progression of play by the playexecution control unit 200 is displayed on a display monitor 110 whichis connected via the bus arbiter 105 and a rendering processor 106.

A character movement control unit 202 is connected to this playexecution control unit 200. By this character movement control unit 202,the movement is controlled of both its own runner character which isbeing operated by this operation terminal 300, and of the other runnercharacters which must be displayed on the display monitor 110 along withthis own runner character.

A synchronization control unit 204 is connected to the charactermovement control unit 202. This synchronization control unit 204 fulfilsthe role of synchronizing the movement state of the other runnercharacters (their movement coordinates) to the display of its own gamedevice, based on the information which has been received from the othergame devices and has been analyzed by a received data analysis unit 206.This received data analysis unit 206 is connected to the bus via thesending and reception unit 208.

The positions of the other runner characters who are not on the sameteam, received from this synchronization control unit 204, arerecognized by this character movement control unit 202 based on theposition coordinates of these other runner characters.

In addition to this synchronization control unit 204, a change overtiming display control unit 210 and an image generation during changeover command unit 212 are connected to this received data analysis unit206.

The change over timing display control unit 210 creates image data fordisplay (notification) of the change over timing on the display monitor110, based on the change over information which is transmitted from theother game devices which are on the same team. In other words, thechange over timing display control unit 210 is connected to the playexecution control unit 200, and, if a runner character which is actuatedby another game device 10 on the same team is the present runnercharacter, and the runner character which is actuated by this gamedevice is the next runner character, then notification information isextracted by the received data analysis unit 206, and, based on thisnotification information, it commands the play execution control unit200 to perform announcement control.

As for example shown in FIG. 7, the positional relationship of the tworunner characters during the change over is made clear by this imagegeneration during change over command unit 212, and a command is issuedto the character movement control unit 202 to generate a correlationrelationship image. Accordingly, an image which shows the correlationrelationship of both of them as an image is added and displayed by thecharacter movement control unit 202 in a portion of the image, takingits own runner character as a center, along with an announcement of thetiming of this change over.

By seeing this correlation relationship image, the player who operatesthe operation terminal 300 is able to recognize the change over timingby visual inspection.

Furthermore, this character movement control unit 202 has at least oneof a function of changing, between runner characters on the same team,the transparency during display of this operated character (atransparency adjustment function), and a morphing function of, betweenrunner characters on the same team, deforming one into the other (amorphing processing function).

Both this transparency adjustment function and this morphing processingfunction are well known techniques, and they work by exerting control sothat, at the change over timing, the present runner character graduallybecomes higher in transparency, while the next runner charactergradually drops in transparency, so that it is possible to make thetiming of change over actuation clear, by making it appear that thepresent runner character is deformed gradually into the next runnercharacter as the present runner character approaches the reference pointat the change over timing.

On the other hand, if this game device 10 is the present runnercharacter, then it has a function of sending position information forthat present runner character to the other game devices 10 (despitewhether they are on the same team or on different teams), and with afunction of sending change over information to the other game device 10of the same team which corresponds to the next runner character.

In other words, the character movement control unit 202 is connected toa transmission data generation unit 214, and transmits the positioncoordinates of its own runner character which is being operated by thisgame device 10 via the sending and reception unit 214 to the other gamedevices 10.

Furthermore, the character movement control unit 202 is connected to acharacter position determination unit 216. The position of the presentcharacter is determined by this character position determination unit216, and these position coordinates are sent to a change over timingdecision unit 218. A reference point memory 220 is connected to thischange over timing decision unit 218. The coordinates of a referencepoint, which is the position for change over to the next runnercharacter, are stored in this reference point memory 220, and it isdecided from the reference point coordinates which have been read outfrom the reference point memory 220, whether or not the character iswithin the predetermined range.

This change over timing decision unit 218 is connected to a change overtiming transmission execution unit 222, and, in the event that thecharacter is within the predetermined range, transmission data isgenerated by the transmission data generation unit 214, and change overinformation is transmitted via the sending and reception unit 214 to theother game devices 10 of the same team. The transmission of this changeover information continues until the character arrives at the referencepoint.

Furthermore, the change over information transmission execution unit 222is connected to a character movement permission unit 224. Movement dueto the operation of the operation terminal 300 of its own runnercharacter before it has passed the reference point as a boundary ispermitted to the character movement control unit 202 by the charactermovement permission unit 224, while, at the time point that thereference point is passed, movement of that runner character due tooperation of the actuation terminal 300 becomes not permitted.

The operation of this second embodiment will be explained in thefollowing.

The entry of this competitive game, the organization of teams, and thestart of the game are the same as in the first embodiment, and areperformed according to the communication protocol shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 shows the operation control routine of a runner character by thegame device 10; and, in a step 230, that game device 10 takes a decisionas to whether or not it is in charge of the present runner or not, andwhen the decision is negative, the flow of control shifts to a step 232,and a decision is taken as to whether or not it is in charge of the nextrunner.

If in the step 230 the decision is affirmative, a procedure is performedfor operating the movement of the present runner character by operationof the operation terminal 300. On the other hand, if in the step 232 thedecision is affirmative, then a procedure is performed for operating themovement of the next runner character by operation of the operationterminal 300. Furthermore, if a negative decision has been taken in thestep 232, then it is decided that this is a waiting terminal (a terminalwhich corresponds to neither the present runner character nor the nextrunner character), and this routine terminates.

If in the step 230 an affirmative decision is taken, the flow of controlproceeds to a step 234, and operation of the present runner character bythe operation terminal 300 is made effective (i.e. is permitted), andthe flow of control proceeds to the next step 236, in which movementcontrol for the present runner character is performed based on operationof the operation terminal 300, and then in a next step 238 the position(i.e. the coordinates) of that present runner character are determined.

In the next step 240, the position (i.e. the coordinates) of thereference point are read out, and in a step 242, based on the positionof the present character and the reference point, it is decided whetheror not it is within the predetermined range with respect to thereference point (either in terms of distance, or in terms of time, isacceptable).

If in this step 242 a negative decision is taken, it is decided that itis not the time for change over, and the flow of control returns to thestep 236, so that the above described process is repeated.

Furthermore, if in the step 242 an affirmative decision is taken, it isdecided that it is the time for change over, and the flow of controlproceeds to a step 244, in which the change over timing to the nextrunner character is calculated based on the position of the presentcharacter, the distance to the reference point, the movement rate of thepresent character, and so on.

In the next step 246, the change over timing information which has beencalculated is transmitted to the other game device 10 which correspondsto the next runner character, and then the flow of control proceeds to astep 248.

In this step 248, the transparency of the present runner character isset according to the result of calculation of the change over timing. Inother words, as the present runner character whose transparency is 0%nears the reference point, its transparency is gradually increased, and,when it arrives at the reference point, its transparency is made to be100% (refer to FIG. 7).

In the next step 250, a decision is taken as to whether or not thecharacter has arrived at the reference point, and, if a negativedecision has been taken, the flow of control returns to the step 236.Furthermore, if in the step 250 an affirmative decision is taken, theflow of control shifts to a step 252, and it is arranged for operationby the operation terminal 300 to be invalid (i.e. not to be permitted),and then this routine terminates.

Next, if in the step 232 an affirmative decision is taken, the flow ofcontrol shifts to a step 254, and it is decided whether or not thechange over timing information has been received, and, in the case of anegative decision, this routine terminates. It should be understoodthat, at this time, the movement state of the present runner characteris displayed on the display monitor 110.

When an affirmative decision is taken in the step 254, the flow ofcontrol proceeds to a step 256, and a notification is displayed to theeffect that it is the time of changing over, and the flow of controlthen proceeds to the next step 258, in which, in synchrony with themovement of the present runner character, an image in which the nextrunner character (the character which is to be operated by itself) istaken as the subject is created and is displayed.

In the next step 260, the correlation relationship image is displayed asoverlapped over a portion of the display monitor 110, and then the flowof control proceeds to a step 262.

In the step 262, the transparency of the next present runner characteris set according to the change over timing information, and then theflow of control proceeds to the step 264. In other words, directly afterreceipt of the change over timing, the transparency of the next runnercharacter is made to be almost 100%, and, as the present runnercharacter approaches the reference point, gradually this transparency isreduced, so that the transparency becomes 0% (refer to FIG. 7) at thetime of the change over (i.e. when the present runner character arrivesat the reference point).

In the step 264, a decision is taken as to whether or not the characterhas arrived at the reference point, and, in the case of a negativedecision, the flow of control returns to the step 258. Furthermore, ifin the step 264 an affirmative decision has been taken, this routineterminates, but, when this routine starts its processing the next time,an affirmative decision comes to be taken in the step 230.

It should be understood that while, in this second embodiment, it wasarranged, along with the present runner character approaching thereference point, to gradually increase its transparency (i.e. to make itgradually fainter), while gradually reducing the transparency of thenext runner character (i.e. making it gradually more opaque), it wouldalso be acceptable to deform the present runner character gradually intothe next runner character, i.e. to perform so called morphingprocessing.

1. A game system which can be accessed by a plurality of players viaoperation terminals, comprising a memory and a calculation processingdevice, wherein, a game program is stored in said memory, saidcalculation processing device executes the game program based on inputdata from the operation terminals, and wherein said game system is madeto implement: means for deciding that a plurality of players haveparticipated for game playing; means for establishing team compositionfor the plurality of players; means for assigning a common character toeach team; means for determining a reference point at which operationfor said character is changed over between players who belong to thesame team, based on said game program; means for deciding whether or notsaid character has arrived at this reference point, from parameters ofthe character; and means for transferring a right of operating saidcharacter to another player when the decision is affirmative, andperforming control so as to continue operation of the character, basedon a signal from the operation terminal by the other player.
 2. Thesystem according to claim 1, wherein said reference point is a groundpoint within a three dimensional virtual space which is defined by saidgame program.
 3. The system according to claim 1, wherein said referencepoint is a time point which is on a time axis.
 4. The system accordingto claim 1, comprising means for transmitting information between afirst operation terminal of a first player and a second operationterminal of a second player.
 5. The system according to claim 4, whereinsaid means is means for implementing voice chat between said firstoperation terminal and said second operation terminal.
 6. A game programfor causing a computer to function as a game device, in which aplurality of players input operation signals via respective operationmeans, a relay race game is executed within a game space by playercharacters which are operated based on the operation signals, and inwhich game images of the relay race game corresponding to each playerare created and outputted as a game screen to display meanscorresponding to each player, wherein said game program includes: a gamesetting process of, based on operation signals from the players, readingout from a recording medium data for player characters based onselection by the players, and acquiring information about division ofthe players into teams for said relay race game, and about the order ofplay within each team; a game execution process of executing a start ofsaid relay race game between the teams based on said team divisioninformation and the order-of-play information, and, based on theorder-of-play information, performing a process of taking a playercharacter of each team set as a current runner among said playercharacters, as a current runner character, to be moved within the gamespace; a display process of, based on the order-of-play information,moving the player character of each team which is set as the currentrunner among the player characters within said game space as the currentrunner character, and displaying the situation of movement as a gamescreen on game screen display means of the players; a decision processof acquiring position coordinates of said current runner characterwithin the game space, taking a predetermined operation change overposition as a reference point, and deciding whether or not saidcharacter is positioned within a predetermined distance range from thereference point; a notification process of, when decided that saidcurrent runner character is positioned within the predetermined distancerange from the operation change over position, providing a display whichnotifies a change over of operation of said current runner character onthe game screen of the player who operates the next runner characterwhich is set as the next runner among the player characters based on theorder-of-play information; and an operation change over process of, whensaid current runner character arrives at the operation change overposition, along with displaying said next runner character at theposition of said current runner character, also inhibiting operationsignals from the operator of said current runner character, and makingeffective an operation signal from the operator of the next runnercharacter.
 7. The game program according to claim 6, further comprising:a change over timing calculation process of, in said notificationprocess, calculating timing at which operation change over is performed,based on the distance between said current runner character and saidreference point; and a change over timing display process of providing adisplay which shows timing of operation change over on the game screenof the operator of said next runner character, based on the change overtiming information calculated by the change over timing calculationprocess.
 8. The game program according to claim 7, further comprising: aprocess of, in said notification process, displaying said next runnercharacter translucently overlapped on said current runner characterwhich is being displayed on said game screen of the operator of saidnext runner character; and a process of, based on the change over timinginformation which has been calculated by said change over timingcalculation process, changing the transparency of the display of saidcurrent runner character and of said next runner character as the timefor change over approaches, and, at the time point when the time forchange over has arrived, displaying said next runner character normallyalong with canceling the display of said current runner character. 9.The game program according to claim 7, further comprising: a process of,in said notification process, deforming said current runner characterwhich is being displayed on the game screen of the operator of said nextrunner character into said next runner character; and a process of,based on the change over timing information which has been calculated bythe change over timing calculation process, performing display so as todeform said current runner character into said next runner character asthe time for change over approaches.